--On 24 April 2006 13:57:18 +0100 John Burnham <john.burnham@???>
wrote:
> As a matter of interest, is it posts that just say 'RTFM' that people
> consider offensive ? If I were to say, 'RTFM - section foo, subsection bar
> and pay particular attention to baz' (as I have done in the past), what
> would peoples' attitudes to that be ? The documentation is some of the
> best I've ever encountered and often pointing people to the relevant is
> the best way to answer some questions. I certainly wouldn't find it
> offensive to be given an answer like that.
> J.
I think RTFM is offensive even with references. Mainly because the 'F'
doesn't stand for "fine". <
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM>. If you want
RTFM to unambiguously mean "Read the fine manual", then you have to type it
out.
Even "Read the manual" might even be read with the wrong tone, because it's
an instruction, rather than advice.
"The answer is in the manual at section xxx" would tell me where to find
the answer, leaving me the option of looking there, rather than instructing
me to do so.
"You might find section xxx of the manual helpful" probably can't be read
as offensive.
Note, lots of people have said that this list is among the least offensive.
I agree, and it's also one of the most helpful. Having said that, I think
it's useful to try to avoid causing offense, just as one would in any
public forum. So, swearing -even in initials- should be avoided where
possible.
--
Ian Eiloart
IT Services, University of Sussex
